Universal weighted lacrosse training handle

ABSTRACT

A weighted lacrosse stick training handle that can replace the handle of any conventional lacrosse stick comprising a solid core, and a neck provided with fastening means, which permit said universal weighted lacrosse training handle to fit into and removably secure to the head of said any conventional lacrosse stick. The fastening means on said neck comprise a plurality of internally threaded bores and at least one machine screw.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of Provisional Application No. 61/375,041 filed on Aug. 19, 2010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of Invention

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for use primarily by parents, coaches, lacrosse players and other training personnel in connection with the improvement of the lacrosse players' game. More particularly, the present invention relates to a universal weighted lacrosse training handle capable of being used with each and every commercially available lacrosse stick head for the conditioning of lacrosse players during practice and training.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a universal weighted lacrosse training handle capable of being used with each and every commercially available lacrosse stick head for the conditioning of lacrosse players during practice and training.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a universal weighted lacrosse training handle capable of allowing: a) Offensive lacrosse players to increase the speed of their shots, improve dodging, improve changing hands and stick protection, increase the effectiveness of wall ball tenfold, and automatically vertically locate stick position while cradling; b) Defensive lacrosse players to breakdown with stick out and on the hands, simulate checks by laterally moving with stick out, simulate a defenseman's entire array of checks, increase the quickness of checks, and hold their sticks steadier and closer to their opponent; c) Goalie players to increase their hand speed, improve muscle memory, and increase over-all skill strength; and d) all lacrosse players to increase hand speed, and practice face-off drills alone.

These and other objects, advantages, features, and characteristics of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, considered along with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

It is believed that the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the numerals represent identical elements and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the inventive universal weighted lacrosse training handle;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the inventive universal weighted lacrosse training handle;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the distal end of the inventive universal weighted lacrosse training handle of FIG. 1 showing the internally threaded bores and machine screw;

FIG. 4 is a three dimensional perspective of the distal end of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a three dimensional perspective of a second embodiment of the distal end of the inventive universal weighted lacrosse training handle showing a plurality of internally threaded bores and machine screws.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the second embodiment of the distal end of the inventive universal weighted lacrosse training handle of FIG. 5.

LIST OF ELEMENTS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE IDENTIFYING NUMERALS

NO ELEMENT 10 universal weighted lacrosse training handle 20 solid shaft 22 proximal end of solid shaft 24 Distal end of solid shaft 30 Means for attaching shaft to lacrosse stick head 32 Internally threaded bores 34 Machine screw

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring more specifically to FIG. 1, it generally depicts the universal weighted lacrosse training handle in accordance with the present invention at 10.

It comprises a shaft 20 and means for fastening the said shaft 30 to any commercially available lacrosse stick head. The shaft is similar in appearance to a standard lacrosse handle, except that it is end to end solid, and weighted enough to give lacrosse players a workout which builds their strength in a manner that no weight room could ever do so. As a result their shot speed increases, the checks they throw are quicker, effortless and from a closer range, and the reflexes of a goalie become quicker than ever before.

The solid shaft 20 can be formed as one unitary solid piece either by milling or by extrusion, using a mold. Alternatively, the solid shaft 20 can be formed in a two step process by first extruding a hollow tube, and thereafter fixedly inserting and permanently adhering a core or rod within the hollow tube. In one embodiment the extruded hollow tube is aluminum while the core or rod inserted and adhered within the hollow tube to form the solid shaft is steel. The weight of the solid shaft 20 made in this two step process can be varied greatly by simply varying the thicknesses of both the hollow tube and the steel core inserted into and permanently adhered within it.

Like all of the other commonly available, hollow, lacrosse stick handles, the solid weighted shaft 20 can be square, round or octagonal shaped. In the preferred embodiment it is octagonal shaped.

The solid weighted shaft 20 comprises a proximal end 22, which is used for pivotal support of the solid shaft 20 of the inventive universal weighted lacrosse training handle 10 within the hands of a lacrosse player, and a distal end 24, which is used for insertion of the solid shaft 20 within the neck of a lacrosse stick head.

The distal end 24 comprises at least three internally threaded bores 32 and at least one a machine screw 34. The dimensions and location of each of the threaded bores 32 on the distal end 24 are critical to the ability of the weighted lacrosse training handle of the present invention, to be used with each and every commercially available lacrosse head. They are such that when the distal end 24 is inserted into the neck of any commercially available lacrosse stick head, the hole on the neck of said lacrosse stick head, through which a screw can be inserted to secure the head to the hollow lacrosse stick handle, becomes concentrically aligned with at least one of the internally threaded bores 32 on the distal end 24. Such alignment in turn, permits the insertion, turning and tightening of the machine screw 34 through both the hole on the neck of the lacrosse stick head and its corresponding concentrically aligned threaded bore 32 to secure the lacrosse stick head on the distal end 24 of the solid shaft 20.

In one embodiment the distance of the central point formed by at least two perpendicular diameters of one of the internally threaded bores 32 from the edge of the distal end is 0.312 inches; the distance of the central point formed by at least two perpendicular diameters of another of the internally threaded bores 32 from the edge of the distal end is 0.812 inches; and the distance of the central point formed by at least two perpendicular diameters of the third of the internally threaded bores 32 from the edge of the distal end is 1.250 inches.

In another embodiment, the distal end 24 comprises a plurality of internally threaded bores 32 and at least one a machine screw 34. The dimensions and location of each of the threaded bores 32 on the distal end 24 are critical to the ability of the weighted lacrosse training handle of the present invention, to be used with each and every commercially available lacrosse head. They are such that when the distal end 24 is inserted into the neck of any commercially available lacrosse stick head, the hole on the neck of said lacrosse stick head, through which a screw can be inserted to secure the head to the hollow lacrosse stick handle, becomes concentrically aligned with at least one of the internally threaded bores 32 on the distal end 24. Such alignment in turn, permits the insertion, turning and tightening of the machine screw 34 through both the hole on the neck of the lacrosse stick head and its corresponding concentrically aligned threaded bore 32 on the weighted lacrosse training handle of the present invention, to secure the lacrosse stick head on the distal end 24 of the solid shaft 20.

In yet another embodiment, as seen on FIGS. 5 and 6, the distal end 24 comprises at least six internally threaded bores 32, two located collinearly on one side and four located collinearly on the opposite side of the distal end 24 of the shaft 20; and at least one a machine screw 34. The distance of the central point formed by at least two perpendicular diameters of one of the four internally threaded collinearly located bores 32 from the edge of the distal end is 0.312 inches; the distance of the central point formed by at least two perpendicular diameters of the second of the internally threaded collinearly located bores 32 from the edge of the distal end is 0.562 inches; the distance of the central point formed by at least two perpendicular diameters of the third of the internally threaded collinearly located bores 32 from the edge of the distal end is 0.812 inches; and the distance of the central point formed by at least two perpendicular diameters of the fourth of the internally threaded bores 32 from the edge of the distal end is 1.250 inches.

Similarly, the distance of the central point formed by at least two perpendicular diameters of one of the two internally threaded collinearly located bores 32 from the edge of the distal end, at the opposite side of the shaft 20 is 0.437 inches; and the distance of the central point formed by at least two perpendicular diameters of the second of the two internally threaded collinearly located bores 32 from the edge of the distal end, on the opposite side of the shaft 20 is 0.625 inches

The universal weighted lacrosse training handle 10 can be made in any number of weights. In the preferred embodiments, it is made in three different weight ranges and in three position related lengths for male lacrosse players and in two weight ranges and one position related length for female lacrosse players. More specifically, as an attack/midfielder universal weighted training handle for men it will have a length of 30 inches and a weight of 2.2 pounds, 4.0 pounds or 4.7 pounds. As a defensive universal weighted training handle for men it will have a length of 60 inches and a weight of 4.4 pounds, 7.8 pounds, or 12.4 pounds. As a goalie universal weighted training handle for men it will have a length of 40 inches and a weight of 2.8, 4.6 or 8.0 pounds. Finally, as a universal weighted lacrosse training handle for all women's positions it will have a length of 30 inches and a weight of 2.0 or 4.0 pounds.

The process of using the universal weighted lacrosse training handle during a practice and training session, comprises the following steps of the lacrosse players' replacement of the regular hollow handle of their lacrosse stick with the universal weighted lacrosse training handle: a) removing the screw holding the head of their lacrosse stick to the hollow handle of their lacrosse stick; b) carefully withdrawing the hollow handle from the neck of the head of their lacrosse stick; c) carefully inserting the universal weighted lacrosse training handle of the present invention as deep into the neck of the head of their lacrosse stick as possible and until such time as at least one of the internally threaded bores on the universal weighted lacrosse training handle is concentrically aligned with the hole on the neck of the head of their lacrosse stick; and d) securing the head of their lacrosse stick onto the universal weighted lacrosse training handle with at least one machine screw by inserting it into the concentrically aligned holes of both the universal training handle and the head of their lacrosse stick and turning it until tight and secure.

There is no question that the inventive universal weighted lacrosse training handle in accordance with the present invention as described herein above, accomplishes all of its objectives and achieves the goal of providing lacrosse players with a better practice and training tool which allows: a) Offensive lacrosse players to increase the speed of their shots, improve dodging, improve changing hands and stick protection, increase the effectiveness of wall ball tenfold, and automatically vertically locate stick position while cradling; b) Defensive lacrosse players to breakdown with stick out and on the hands, simulate checks by laterally moving with stick out, simulate a defenseman's entire array of checks, increase the quickness of checks, and hold their sticks steadier and closer to their opponent; c) Goalie players to increase their hand speed, improve muscle memory, and increase over-all skill strength; and d) all lacrosse players to increase hand speed, and practice face-off drills alone.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail herein, they are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the invention. Since certain changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a literal sense. Practitioners of the art will realize that the sequence of steps and the embodiments depicted in the figures can be altered without departing from the scope of the present invention and that the illustrations contained herein are singular examples of a multitude of possible depictions of the present invention. 

1. A universal weighted lacrosse stick training handle comprising a solid core, and a neck provided with fastening means, which permit said universal weighted lacrosse training handle to replace any lacrosse stick handle of any conventional lacrosse stick by fitting into and removably securing to the head of said conventional lacrosse stick.
 2. The universal weighted lacrosse stick training handle according to claim 1, wherein said fastening means on said neck comprises a plurality of internally threaded bores and at least one machine screw. 